Heat sink for air conditioning apparatus

ABSTRACT

Air conditioning apparatus including a hermetic compressor-motor unit, a pair of condensor coils, suction and discharge lines for the supply of refrigerant to the compressor and the discharge of refrigerant therefrom, an electrical control unit having a component which generates heat and a heat sink device for transferring such heat to the suction line.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,903,710 Quatman Sept. 9, 1975 [54] HEAT SINK FOR AIR CONDITIONING 3,377,524 4/1968 Block et al 174/15 R APPARATUS 3,430,455 3/1969 Stuart et a1. 62/383 [75] Inventor: Robert J. Quatman, Ohio [73] Assignee: Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich.

[22] Filed: Dec. 5, 1974 [2]] Appl. No.: 529,761

[52] US. Cl 62/513; 62/505; 174/15 R [51] Int. Cl. F25B 43/00 [58] Field of Search 174/15 R; 62/62, 383, 505,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,963,216 12/1960 Heitchue, Sr. 62/505 Primary Examiner-Carroll B. Dority, Jr. Assistant ExamineF-Ronald C. Capossela Attorney, Agent, or F irm-Talburtt & Baldwin Air conditioning apparatus including a hermetic compressor-motor unit, a pair of condensor coils, suction and discharge lines for the supply of refrigerant to the compressor and the discharge of refrigerant therefrom, an electrical control unit having a component which generates heat and a heat sink device for transferring such heat to the suction line.

ABSTRACT 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUSEP 1915 3,903,710

SHEET 1 o 2 PATENTED F 9 I575 SHEET 2 BF 2 HEAT SINK FOR AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, a compressor unit is This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus, generally indicated in FIG 1 at The unit, which y and more particularly, to heat removal apparatus for electrical control components which generate heat during operation of such apparatus.

In many air conditioning systems, such as residential systems, for example, the condensing unit is separate from the evaporator unit and is normally located outside the residence.

The condensing unit conventionally includes a housing in which are mounted a compressor, a motor for driving such compressor, one or more condensing coils or heat exchangers, and electrical control apparatus for controlling the operation of the compressor motor and hence, the operation of the compressor.

In recent years, the use of electronic components in the control apparatus for air conditioning units has in creased. In the present instance, one electronic component generates a significant amount of heat. If the heat is not removed, it may adversely affect the operation of the electronic component and the control system. The present invention is directed to apparatus for removing heat from the electronic component of such apparatus.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, this invention comprises means for removing heat from a heat generating electronic component of the control apparatus for a hermetic compressor-motor device of an air conditioning system.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide for the removal of heat from an electronic component of the control apparatus for air conditioning equipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a heat removal device adapted to be easily applied to a control case containing the electronic component which generates heat.

Still another object of this invention is to provide heat removal apparatus of the class described which uses the heat exchangers of the condenser unit for the removal of the heat.

A further object of this invention is to provide a heat removal apparatus such as described which is economical in construction and efficient in operation.

Other objects and advantages will be made apparent as the description progresses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings in which one of various possible embodiments of this invention are illustrated;

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of an air conditioning condensing unit having the heat removal apparatus of this invention applied thereto;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of FIG. I looking in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3.

Like parts are shown by corresponding reference characters throughout the drawings.

be conventionally located outside the building which is to be cooled by the air conditioning apparatus, includes a compressor-condenser housing 3 containing two condenser coils 5 and 7 and a hermetic compressor and motor unit 9. The fan and motor or or motors therefor for forcing air over the condenser coils 5 and 7 are not shown for reasons of clarity.

A control unit for controlling the operation of the hermetic compressor and motor is indicated at 11. It will be understood that the control unit is adapted to intermittently operate the hermetic compressor-motor combination as required by the temperature within the building which is being air conditioned by the apparatus. As will be made apparent the control device 1 1 includes, among other things, an electronic component which generates heat during operation of the apparatus.

Refrigerant from an evaporator unit (not shown) within the building is delivered through a line (also not shown) to an inlet or suction line 13. Line 13 extends from the housing wall to the hermetic compressormotor unit 9.

A discharge line 15 extends from the compressor to a tee l7 and from the tee are two lines 19 and 21 to the condensers 5 and 7.

The control unit 11 includes a plurality of electrical and electronic components, one of which may take the form of a thyrister, such as a triac, for example, indicated at 23 in FIG. 3. This electronic component 23 generates heat during its operation and unless means are provided to remove such heat and keep the operating temperature of the component below a predetermined level the component may malfunction. In the present case the electronic component 23 is mounted in an opening extending through a generally parallelogram-shaped metal carrier or plate 25. This plate is formed of metal and has openings or holes 27 in two opposite corners thereof for receiving fasteners 29 adapted to extend through openings 31 in an elongated metal transfer plate 33. Nuts 35 are attached to the inner ends of the fasteners 29 for securing the plate 25 and the electronic component attached therein to the transfer plate 33. The component 23 has one face in direct contact with plate 33. The transfer plate 33 is rectangular in shape and is longer than the height of the case 37 of an electronic control unit 38 forming part of the electrical control I I. The upper and lower walls 39 and 41 and openings 43 and 45, respectively therein through which the upper and lower ends of the transfer plate 33 are adapted to extend. Thus, the rear face of the transfer plate 33 is flush with the rear face of the electronic control unit 38.

The wall 47 of the electrical control unit 11 is provided with a rectangular opening 49 which is generally coextensive with the transfer plate 43. A heat sink member 51 has a generally rectangular upstanding sec tion 53 which fits within and mates with the opening 49 in the wall 47 of the control unit 1 l. A shoulder 55 surrounds upstanding section 53 to overlie the wall 47. The outer portion of the heat sink 51 is tapered and has a concave cradle or trough portion 57 at its outer end between the side walls 59 and 61. The heat sink is secured in face to face contact with the transfer plate 33 by fasteners 63 adjacently the upper and lower ends of the heat sink and the transfer plate. The heat sink is preferably formed of aluminum to facilitate the transfer of heat from the transfer plate 35 to the area of the eradle 57.

The cradle portion is concave with a radius approximating the outside radius of the suction tube 13. In this regard the suction tube 13 passes under the control unit 11 and then up along the wall 47 passing in contact with the heat sink 51 in the cradle 57. The suction line 13 is maintained in the cradle 57 by a strap 63 extending over the suction line 13 and side walls 59 and 61. Laterally extending flanges 65 and 67 extend from the sides of strap 63 adjacent wall 47 and are secured to such wall by fasteners 69 and 71. The strap maintains the conduit line 13 in good heat conducting contact with the heat sink 51.

As the electronic component 23 generates heat during operation such heat is transferred to the transfer plate 33. The component 23 and the plate 33 are in face-to-face contact with one another to increase thermal conductivity between the two. The heat absorbed by the transfer plate 33 is then conducted to the heat sink 51 due to the face-to-face contact of such plate with the heat sink. During operationof the compressor, refrigerant is drawn from an evaporator unit (not shown) through the suction line 13. This refrigerant, while having removed heat from air passing over an evaporator coil through which the refrigerant is passing, is still relatively cool. The cool refrigerant passes through the conduit 13 adjacent the heat sink 51 and the heat transferred from the heat sink to the wall of the line 13 is then transferred to the gaseous refrigerant flowing through the line. This refrigerant is then drawn into the compressor where it is compressed and discharged into the condenser coils 5 and 7, where the heat is removed from the refrigerant.

When the motor and compressor unit 9 is not operating, obviously no refrigerant is drawn through the suction line 13. However, the electronic component 23 is not operating during this time and heat is not being generated thereby.

It will be seen that the heat generated by the electronic component, when it is operating, is transferred to the transfer plate, heat sink, and line 13 to the refrigerant. The refrigerant then carries the heat through the compressor and after compression continues to carry the heat to the heat exchangers 5 and 7 where the heat generated by the electronic component is removed from the refrigerant, along with the heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the evaporator. It is contemplated that the component 23 could be mounted in the transfer plate 33 in direct contact with the heat sink, thus providing for direct heat transfer between the component and the heat sink.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described, it is apparent that other embodiments and modifications of the invention are possible I claim:

1. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a hermetic compressor-motor unit, at least one condensing coil for removing heat from refrigerant, a suction line for delivering refrigerant to said hermetic compressor-motor unit, a discharge line for delivering compressed refrigerant from said hermetic compressor-motor unit to said condensing coil, and electrical control means for controlling the operationv of said hermetic compressormotor unit, said control means including a support, an electrical control unit mounted on said support, said control unit including an electronic component which generates heat, and means for removing said heat comprising a heat sink member connected to said support, means for transferring heat from said electronic component to said heat sink, said heat sink being in contact with said suction line to transfer heat to such line, refrigerant in such line removing heat from said suction line and having such heat removed therefrom as it passes through said condenser coil.

2. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for transferring heat from said electronic component to said heat sink comprises a transfer plate sandwiched between said component and said heat sink, said transfer plate and heat sink each having one mating face which mates with the mating face of the other, said mating faces being in contact with one another.

3. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mating faces are substantially flatand coextensive.

4. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support has an opening therein, said heat sink having an upstanding portion which mates with said opening and extends through said opening.

5. Air conditioning apparatus as setforth in claim 4 wherein said means for transferring heat from said electronic component to said heat sink comprises a transfer plate sandwiched between said component and said heat sink, said transfer plate and heat sink each having one mating face which mates with the mating face of the other, said mating faces being in contact with one another.

6. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said mating faces are substantially flat and coextensive. 

1. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a hermetic compressormotor unit, at least one condensing coil for removing heat from refrigerant, a suction line for delivering refrigerant to said hermetic compressor-motor unit, a discharge line for delivering compressed refrigerant from said hermetic compressor-motor unit to said condensing coil, and electrical control means for controlling the operation of said hermetic compressor-motor unit, said control means including a support, an electrical control unit mounted on said support, said control unit including an electronic component which generates heat, and means for removing said heat comprising a heat sink member connected to said support, means for transferring heat from said electronic component to said heat sink, said heat sink being in contact with said suction line to transfer heat to such line, refrigerant in such line removing heat from said suction line and having such heat removed therefrom as it passes through said condenser coil.
 2. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for transferring heat from said electronic component to said heat sink comprises a transfer plate sandwiched between said component and said heat sink, said transfer plate and heat sink each having one mating face which mates with the mating face of the other, said mating faces being in contact with one another.
 3. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mating faces are substantially flat and co-extensive.
 4. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support has an opening therein, said heat sink having an upstanding portion which mates with said opening and extends through said opening.
 5. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for transferring heat From said electronic component to said heat sink comprises a transfer plate sandwiched between said component and said heat sink, said transfer plate and heat sink each having one mating face which mates with the mating face of the other, said mating faces being in contact with one another.
 6. Air conditioning apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said mating faces are substantially flat and co-extensive. 